So, the Giants are no longer reigning champs. Big deal. They’ll do it next year, of course. Eric and Chad get together on Skype to discuss how the scrappy Royals made it all the way back to the World Series and how they won it after 8 of their 11 wins secured in comeback fashion, and the parallels drawn to the Giants’ 2012 six elimination game wins against the Reds and Cardinals.

The Giants are also banking cash in large piles after declining the options on Nori Aoki and Marlon Byrd. Greinke, Price and Cueto may all be #1 targets of Bobby Evans and his staff, but we also ask if they may spread the money around a bit to a greater quantity of second-tier pitchers and a couple of outfielders. All we know is that this will be an exciting offseason as the Giants attempt to reload with more available cash than they’ve ever had, and during an offseason flush with quality starting pitchers.

It looks like Ryan Vogelsong will remain with the San Francisco Giants for another year. This is according to Hank Schulman who’s tweet rolled across the timeline this afternoon. It’s possible that we have more details later tonight or tomorrow.

#sfgiants working toward a deal with Ryan Vogelsong. Looks like it will happen. One year.

There had been reports over the last few days that linked Vogelsong to both the Rangers and Astros. He was rumored to being close to a deal with Houston before we heard of any talks with the Giants. Suddenly it seems as if he’s coming aboard for another run.

The main concern I’ve seen and heard from fans is why a move like this gets made if the rotation is already set. The most common themes have been…

Matt Cain and Tim Hudson are both recovering from a surgery.

Tim Lincecum has been shaky as a starter the last 3 seasons

Will Jake Peavy find a renaissance under Bruce Bochy and Dave Righetti

Madison Bumgarner is coming off a long, wonderful season and postseason

Also, can’t Yusmeiro Petit start some games?

It sounds crazy but I thought more pitching was a good thing. To think that Vogey chose to come back to San Francisco and give what he has left as a pitcher without the promise of being a starter. Those Texas teams would have put him in the rotation right away. He has no idea how many starts he’s gonna get this year.

That’s 7 starters for 5 spots. I don’t see that as a bad thing.

The Giants are going to need some good pitching this season. There’s considerably less thump in the lineup than in year’s past. It looks like Brandon Belt, Buster Posey, and Hunter Pence will be asked to carry the bulk of the load.

Nori Aoki signed earlier this week for $4 million. He has incentives to bump that to $5.5 if he has more than 600 plate appearances. He’s averaged 604 in his 3 seasons in the majors. He’s a contact hitter that can take over at the top of the lineup if (when) Angel Pagan goes down.

I keep talking myself in to really liking this signing because the way the lineup could be constructed he would be like another leadoff guy in the middle. Brandon Crawford could have a field day driving Aoki in.

Here’s how I’d draw it up right now.

Angel Pagan

Joe Panik

Buster Posey

Hunter Pence

Brandon Belt

Casey McGehee

Nori Aoki

Brandon Crawford

Madison Bumgarner

Last season McGehee and Aoki hit 5 HR’s combined in over 1200 combined plate appearances. That’s a far cry from when Pablo Sandoval and Michael Morse used to drop bombs during some really great hot streaks.

That’s where we are with about a month to go until Spring Training. We’re focused on Ryan Vogelsong coming back to help the Giants defend their title. It’s not sexy or shiny, but it’s a move to help the ball club compete for a playoff spot. After that, as we well know, anything can happen.

Remember, you can follow us on Twitter @TortureCast and like us on Facebook. All of our podcasts, video and audio San Francisco Giants player interviews can be found on our Youtube Channel or here at TortureCast.com.

It’s been a month since we recorded our gloriously long World Series Championship podcast, but our livers and tear glands have recovered enough to deliver our first “hot stove” podcast of the offseason. Chad, Ben, and Eric talk about the impending Lester decision (probably made by the time you listen to this), and the Giants options to fill their holes in left field and third base. Tim Flannery retired, and Madison Bumgarner won Sports Illustrated’s “Sportsman of the Year,” which apparently ripped off the fresh collective scabs of millions of KC Royals fans.

You can follow us on Twitter @TortureCast and like us on Facebook! All of our podcasts and video and audio San Francisco Giants player interviews can be found here at TortureCast.com.

Here’s a nice summary of all transactions that occurred in the second half of 2013 through today, January 2, 2014. Certainly the Giants haven’t lost any significantly notable players, but I did miss Moscoso signing in Japan. I will also miss saying his name on our podcast. Wait, maybe I never said it on air? Nevertheless, they have gained a quality veteran starter in Tim Hudson (at least now I can say “Huddy” on the podcast) and hopefully a little pop with Michael Morse, if he manages to stay off the DL from his various hot tub and mangina injuries.

Unfortunately, this team is only slightly better (on paper) than the 2013 version which saw them sink to below .500 in an unsuccessful defense of their second World Championship in three years, and with the Dodgers opening up their wallets to a whopping $211.5 million (and that could still go up with Tanaka (no, not Kensuke!) or perhaps a new dinosaur with laser beams for a new mascot), the status quo won’t suffice.

As fans, we can always chirp at Giants’ ownership to spend more, but they have committed $143.2 million to 16 players for 2014 (they still have to pin down salaries for the remaining roster). They also have continually increased their monetary commitment year over year. In fact, the payroll during their first championship run in 2010 was a mere $97 million. It was $118 million in 2011, $132 million in 2012 and $137 million last year. Here’s a fun pie chart that I took entirely too long making in between bathroom breaks, which breaks down of the Giants’ budget by the obligated 16 players:

Notably, Matt Cain accounts for 15% of the budget, followed by Timmy, Hunter, and then Posey. Although we all breathed relief that Zito is off the books, his buy-out is still reflected here, at 5% of the payroll, which is more than Scutaro, Affeldt, Morse, Romo, Vogelson, Casilla, Lopez and Bumgarner (yes, MadBum has a lucrative future salary).

So, with assumedly little money left to spend, can they stretch their dollar for another outfielder? Perhaps clip a coupon from the local circular? Nelson Cruz has been rumored, but will command a mighty salary, and with the acquisition of Morse last month, it makes it unlikely that they’ll pursue anyone other than utility players and middle relievers. Think, clearance racks at the MLB player store.

Let’s just hope that Tanaka doesn’t end up somewhere else in the NL West (well, it’s okay if Kensuke does).

Chad

PS – After taking a couple of months off after the World Series, we’ll be heating up in the coming weeks. Look for new podcasts and articles from myself, Willie and Ben. We’re looking forward to another exciting (hopefully) season of San Francisco Giants baseball and post-game bonusodes at Zeke’s.

We welcome in the new year with our first TortureCast of 2013. Unfortunately, Ben couldn’t make tonight’s recording, but Willie and Chad discussed the recent deals to avoid arbitration for Posey, Pence, Blanco, Arias, and Mijares. We also bitch about the BBWAA and the injustice of not a single player being voted into the Hall of Fame, as well as pimping FanFest on Feb 9, the excitement of pitchers and catchers reporting on Feb 12, a banana in an unfortunate hole, and we dream about the possibility of Bruce Bochy driving Jim Harbaugh down Market Street with another championship trophy for THE City.

Tweet At Me, Bruh

We Should Hate This Guy

Willie and Chad dish out serious hate for the BBWAA who “made a stand” against the PED users. It’s an F-ing game, and you are not holier than any of these athletes that you help to create. Baseball ignored the issue, you voted them as MVP and Cy Youngs, STFU.

Why We Will Win It All

Willie – Wrapping up the last big pieces from last year and didn’t fall in love with guys who won’t help, Sabean is making all the right moves and there’s no reason to think he won’t make the right moves at the trade deadline either.

We shake off the World Series hangover with an episode to review the Giants’ moves in the offseason thus far, and we even challenged ourselves with listening to our season preview episode that we recorded at The Public House (at AT&T Park) with Thomas and Danny from Two Guys, a Glove and a Coke Bottle.

Talking Points

Scu-Scu-Scutaro signs 3 yrs/$20 – We all like this one, even if he sucks at age 40

Pagan signs 4 yrs/$40m – Thank the baseball gods that he signed one day before Victorino signed with Boston for 3/$39m!

Affeldt signs 3y/$18m – Quality signing, he likes the stability of the Giants

Pence will be signed, probably for $13-$14m in arbitration, Giants not seeking long term contract, though

Torres is Back! 1 yr, $2m

Blanco is arbitration eligible, probably won’t cost that much

Sabean and Bochy contracts extended through 2014

Dodgers with the largest payroll in MLB history at $225m

Melky gets 2/$16m from Blue Jays who are loading up for a run at it

The BIG Question

What will happen with Brian Wilson? We all concur that the Giants had to make the business decision that they did, and that frankly, Wilson is being a whiny douche if he’s hurt by their non-tender. He doesn’t deserve $7 million for a year after his second Tommy John. In fact, he earned $8.5 million last year for two appearances before he went on the shelf. Suck it up, sign an incentive-laden contract with the Giants and we’ll all move along as a happy family.